THE RED SPRUCE. 13 
mediate development here, while birch and the better hardwoods are 
inferior in development as compared with the same species growing 
on the hardwood lands. Hemlock and red maple find the best con- 
ditions for their development in this type. Windfall is not uncom- 
mon, and as a result young even-aged stands of spruce are found 
occupying the ground where this has taken place. Second-growth 
stands of birch and red maple may also be found occupying such 
areas. 
MIXED HARDWOOD LANDS. 
The mixed hardwood type occupies the best soil sites of the region, 
usually the benches and the lower mountain slopes. The soil is here 
best adapted to hardwood growth, is deep, of more or less even 
texture, fresh, and well-drained. Besides spruce, sugar maple, beech, 
and birch predominate, and there is a scattering of hemlock, white 
pine, soft maple, cherry, and a variety of other species. The propor- 
tion of spruce in mixture depends on topographic conditions. On 
gentle slopes, broad benches, and low ridges the hardwoods find con- 
ditions so favorable to their development that the spruce is largely 
crowded out. The more irregular and broken topography enables 
the spruce to compete with the hardwoods on more nearly equal 
terms. What spruce lacks in reproductive power it makes up b} r 
its superior ability to grow on the rougher, thinner soils. The broken 
topography undoubtedly favors spruce on account of the higher per- 
centage of moisture to be found in the soils of the protected coves 
and slopes than in those .of the gentle and more regular slopes of 
uniform exposure. Spruce attains its maximum development in the 
mixed hardwood type, as do also most of the hardwoods. 
SPRUCE SLOPES. 
The slope type occupies the steeper slopes, with thin, stony soil, 
above the hardwood land, and may extend to the limits of tree 
growth, although not infrequently it gives way to a scrubby alpine 
growth composed almost exclusively of balsam. The type is char- 
acterized by a nearly pure coniferous growth with spruce pre- 
dominating. Balsam is also present in appreciable quantities. 
The characteristic hardwood is yellow birch, which is generally of 
excellent quality. Hemlock, white pine, and a variety of hard- 
woods occur sparingly in the lower portions of this type or on the 
better soils of the lower ridges. Spruce of good quality, with tall, 
clean boles, closely set together in a dense stand, is produced on this 
type. As compared with the hardwood lands, spruce development 
is inferior here on account of the greater liability to windfall and 
poorer soils. Also because of the liability to windfall the forest 
is often comparatively yomig. 
